elearningmail

10 Useful Techniques To Improve Your User Interface Designs

2009-01-08T20:07:00.000-08:00

From Smashing Magazine: Web design consists, for the most part, of interface design. There are many techniques involved in crafting beautiful and functional interfaces. Here’s my collection of 10 that I think you’ll find useful in your work. They’re not related to any particular theme, but are rather a collection of techniques I use in my own projects. Without further ado, let’s get started.
1. Padded block links
2. Typesetting buttons
3. Using contrast to manage focus
4. Using color to manage attention
5. White space indicates relationships
6. Letter spacing
7. Auto-focus on input
8. Custom input focus
9. Hover controls
10. Verbs in labels

Don’t use a technique just because it exists: use it if it makes sense in your context.Dmitry Fadeyev

The 5 habits of highly effective project teams

2009-01-07T19:48:00.000-08:00

Suzy Thompson (Senior Interaction Design Consultant at Cooper) has written an article on 5 habits of successful project teams:
1. Establish structure and discipline
2. Act with urgency
3. Cultivate a sense of ownership
4. Lead
5. Be the change you want to see in the project

Projects succeed when project managers and team members alike operate with discipline, urgency, ownership, and leadership.

The Secret of Apple Design

2008-05-08T03:50:00.000-07:00

In this exciting article about Apple’s design approach, Don Norman, who used to be VP of advance technology at Apple from 1993 to 1998, says:
”The hardest part of design, especially consumer electronics,” says Norman, “is keeping features out.” Simplicity, he says, is in itself a product differentiator, and pursuing it can lead to innovation.

Nice article on interaction design.

Definition of Design

2008-04-29T21:23:00.000-07:00

Frank Spillers has defined the design for usability. He breaks the definitions down to those for the Mind, those for the Heart and those for the Body which convey the true essense of design. I've summarized a short blurb for each definition below.
1. Design for the Mind
User Interface Design - focuses on user interactions and screen behaviors
Information Architecture - used to review, concept and test initial functionality
Interaction Design - focuses on how the user interacts with a page, application or product
2. Design for the Heart
Graphic Design - the "eye-candy or look and feel"
Interactive Design - great at graphic design and has a sensitivity and sensibility for usability
Emotion Design - concerned with the specific social, environmental, personal and intimate qualities of user experience
3. Design for the Body
Industrial Design - design for physical products
4. Holistic Methodologies
User Centered Design - involves three key activities: User research; UI prototyping and Usability Testing
User Experience Design - adds a more holistic element to the technique of designing the user experience
Experience Design - approach or methodology that penetrates all design decisions but with an experiential or environmental agenda

Right-Justified Navigation Menus Impede Scannability

2008-04-29T21:11:00.000-07:00

Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox
Users scan lists by moving their eyes rapidly down the left edge. Menu items that are right-aligned make scanning more difficult.
This article is not about left-hand menu or right-hand menu, it talks only about alignments.

Open Source - Social Software Applications

2008-01-31T20:54:00.000-08:00

This list will give you links to 40 open source resources to get you started building your own social bookmarking, networking, filesharing or search application. Max has listed some best open source resources.

12 things journalists need to know

2007-12-05T06:36:00.001-08:00

As future/foresight reporting is all the rage nowadays, it's worth going back and taking a look at the 12 points Jamais Cascio had written a year ago:

1. Nobody can predict the future
2. Not everyone is surprised by surprises
3. Even when it's fast, change feels slow
4. Most trends die out
5. The future is usually the present, only moreso
6. There are always options
7. Dinosaurs lived for over 200 million years
8. Gadgets are not futurism
9. Sports scores and stock quotes" was 1990s futurist-ese for "I have no idea;" "social networking and tagging" looks to be the 2000s version
10. Technology is anything invented since you turned 13
11. The future belongs to the curious
12. The future is process, not a destination.

Some Learning Management Systems

2007-10-29T07:17:00.001-07:00

Atutor
http://www.atutor.ca/index.php

ATutor is an Open Source Web-based Learning Content Management System (LCMS) designed with accessibility and adaptability in mind. Administrators can install or update ATutor in minutes, develop custom templates to give ATutor a new look, and easily extend its functionality with feature modules. Educators can quickly assemble, package, and redistribute Web-based instructional content, easily retrieve and import prepackaged content, and conduct their courses online. Students learn in an adaptive learning environment.

Blackboard
http://www.blackboard.com/

With over one half of U.S. colleges adopting Blackboard’s online course management system, Blackboard and online learning are reshaping the way that teachers teach and students learn.
Educ www.educlearning.com eDucLearning is an online Learning Management System (LMS) allowing to disseminate and manage simply, effectively and in an economic way online and in-class training. eDucLearning as part of the applications suite eDuc, is offered in a Concept Formula hosted version or in a client hosted Installed version. The installation of the Installed version is easy and automated.

Moodle
http://www.moodle.org/

Moodle is a course management system (CMS) - a free, Open Source software package designed using sound pedagogical principles, to help educators create effective online learning communities. You can download and use it on any computer you have handy (including webhosts), yet it can scale from a single-teacher site to a 50,000-student University.

Jenzabar Internet Campus
http://www.jenzabar.com/products/lm.html

Today's students represent great diversity in terms of their expectations, goals, learning styles, and physical locations. Schools must have the ability to respond to these new demands of today's learning environment. Students are beginning to expect new opportunities for learning and collaboration outside of the physical classroom. Jenzabar's Learning Management System (LMS) will help you meet these demands by providing tools and strategies to supplement or replace traditional in-classroom learning. With Jenzabar's LMS, faculty and their students are connected, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in a way that the bricks and mortar environment cannot offer.

WebCT
http://www.webct.com/ Blackboard and WebCT has now merged.
.LRN http://dotlrn.org .

LRN is the world's most widely adopted enterprise-class open source software for supporting e-learning and digital communities. Originally developed at MIT, .LRN is used worldwide by over half a million users in higher education, government, non-profit, and K-12.

Angel Learning
http://angellearning.com/

We listened. You told us you wanted more power in a simple interface…practical features that magnify your abilities and streamline your workflow. Bring important data to the front, assemble it, and make it actionable without making it complicated. And most of all, help improve outcomes and connect…with better communications, more collaboration, lots of opportunity for sharing. You got it.

Bodington
http://bodington.org/

Bodington is a free open source Virtual Learning Environment/Learning Management System in use at Universities and Colleges worldwide. The Bodington project exists to provide an open source environment to support learning, teaching and research. It is particularly suitable for complex, multi-disciplinary and large organisations and for inter institutional collaboration. It delivers controlled access using open standards.

Desire2Learn
http://www.desire2learn.com/

We work collaboratively with our clients in pursuit of their eLearning visions; their success is our measure of achievement. We provide a user-centric platform for the delivery of teaching and learning, and a complete spectrum of services.

Dokeos
http://www.dokeos.com/

Dokeos is an Open Source elearning and course management web application translated in 34 languages and helping more than 1.000 organisations worldwide to manage learning and collaboration activities. Dokeos is also a company helping these organisations launch and develop blended learning programmes.

Edumate
http://www.edumate.com.au/

Welcome to Edumate; As the worlds most advanced web architected student learning and management system, Edumate provides access to a holistic view of a student's progress from Kindergarten to Year 12. As a student-centric platform of shared knowledge, Edumate enables the collaboration of information by those who have the greatest impact on a student's educational and personal development. Edumate is the driver that unites the fragmented knowledge of a student's profile throughout their school-life and puts information at the fingertips of School administrators, Teachers and Parents while providing Students with the tools to take greater ownership of their learning and develop to their full potential.

LON-CAPA
http://www.loncapa.org/

The Free Open-Source Distributed Learning Content Management and Assessment System

Fle3
http://fle3.uiah.fi/index.html

Fle3 is a web-based learning environment. To be more specific Fle3 is server software for computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL). Fle3 is Open Source and Free Software released under the GNU General Public Licence (GPL). The licence is protecting your freedom to use, modify and distribute Fle3.

ILIAS
http://www.ilias.de/ios/index-e.html

ILIAS is a powerful web-based learning management system that allows users to create, edit and publish learning and teaching material in an integrated system with their normal web browsers. Tools for cooperative working and communication are included as well. ILIAS is available as open source software under the GNU General Public License (GPL). Universities, educational institutions, private and public companies, and every interested person may use the system free of charge and contribute to its further development.

OLAT
http://www.olat.org/public/index.html
Welcome to OLAT - the web-based Open Source Learning Management System (LMS). OLAT is open source, 100% Java and completely free of charge.

Sakai Project
http://www.sakaiproject.org/

Scholar360
http://www.scholar360.com/

At Scholar360, our focus is on partnering with you to empower your academic institution. Use Scholar360 to create online courses and dramatically increase learning via student communication and collaboration. Our Learning Management System (LMS) is easy-to-use, customizable, and affordable. Use Scholar360 to capitalize on the power of the Internet to enhance learning in physical classrooms, modular courses, and distance classes.

Scolastance
http://www.infostance.com/

SCOLASTANCE, l’Espace Numérique de Travail ou Bureau Virtuel ScolaStance, réunit tous les acteurs de l'établissement (enseignants, élèves, personnel administratif et parents). Ils peuvent accéder et/ou gérer des informations concernant les services suivants :
Axio Learning

Digication
http://www.digication.com/home/
Designed by educators for educators, Digication Campus & Spotlight bring teachers and students together in a seamless learning environment. Easy to master. Simple to use. With all the connectivity, file sharing and e-portfolio tools educators and students want. And none of the bureaucratic back-office stuff they don't need.

eCollege
http://www.ecollege.com/

eCollege provides a comprehensive outsource solution to support the profitable growth of online distance programs for publicly traded for-profit institutions, community colleges, and public and private universities. As the only provider with all of the hardware, software and support services under one roof, eCollege offers single-point accountability to assure programs provide a high-quality experience for students, which translates into strong program retention and enrollment growth for the institution.
Fronter
http://www.fronter.com/
Fronter delivers Virtual Learning Environments, project management tools and tools for online collaboration to: Meridian KSI
http://www.meridianksi.com/

Meridian KSI offers industry leading learning & knowledge management systems for organizations of all sizes. Our range of innovative products have satisfied many customers in areas like e-learning, blended learning, knowledge management, performance support competency management and learning content management.

Pathlore
http://www.pathlore.com/index.asp

Now merged with SumTotal Systems

Plateau
http://www.plateau.com/

Plateau Talent Management enables you to develop, manage, and optimize your organizational talent. Whether you need Performance Management, Career & Succession Planning or Learning Management. Plateau provides the solutions and support you need.

DK Systems
http://cc.dksystems.com/

StudyWiz

http://www.studywiz.com/

Studywiz is an innovative and dynamic product - we are continuously developing new features to meet the requirements of our global teacher community.

Thinq
http://www.thinq.com/

Now merged with Saba

Saba
http://www.saba.com/

Saba Enables Designers, Subject Matter Experts to Generate Engaging Training Content and Drive Learning Adoption

TEDS
http://www.teds.com/

Human capital initiatives share a common focus: how to make the most of organizational talent. TEDS Talent Management® Solutions offer the only comprehensive, fully integrated human capital suite addressing enterprise-wide talent management. Employing one platform, TEDS strategically aligns business objectives with all facets of the talent lifecycle including management of learning, performance, compliance, competencies, recruiting, and succession.

Mindflash
http://www.mindflash.com/

"With the Mindflash e-learning software we've drastically accelerated training of our sales team. We can now offer new training modules on products and procedures in just a few hours. Our employees love it."

SumTotal
http://www.sumtotalsystems.com/

SumTotal talent and performance management solutions are designed to meet the unique challenges facing businesses in a wide range of industries and business solutions such as salesforce readiness, extended enterprise, and compliance.
PeopleSoft

Oracle iLearning
http://www.oracle.com/applications/human_resources/ilearning.html

Oracle iLearning is an enterprise learning management system (LMS) that provides a complete infrastructure for organizations to manage, deliver and track training participation in online or classroom-based environments. The application permits learners to interact with content, instructors and peers at their own pace while facilitating the need for widely dispersed staff to be trained in a consistent fashion.

Alpha LMS
http://www.alpha-lms.co.uk/

Alpha Learning produces the Alpha Learning Engine, a powerful Learning Platform designed for the school environment. It gives you complete control over your students' e-learning…

CentraOne
http://www.centra.com/
Now merged with Saba

ClarityNet
http://www.claritynet.com/
It's never been so easy to deliver, document and manage your training! The ClarityNet HD® TMS empowers you to centralize administration and provide global reporting—from any browser, at any location.

Conductor
http://www.conductit.com/

A successful employee training tracking software program operates in the same manner that an orchestra creates music. Many different talents, given different parts to play, cooperate under the guidance of a conductor to transform a collection of notes on a page into a work of art. Each musician may know his or her own part, but the conductor directs the performance of the ensemble. By combining and blending the parts in just the right way, the conductor reveals the masterpiece hidden in the score.
Consensus
http://www.computersoftware.com/business-need-solution.asp?solutionID=20&businessneedid=7

Consensus LMS is a simple, easy to use software package that helps in-house departments manage the whole process of creating, organising and tracking all the learning & development activities that occur throughout your organisation.

CornerStone onDemand
http://www.cornerstoneondemand.com/index.html
Strategia http://www.strategia-ed.com/en/

Education Director
http://www.resultsdirect.com/educationdirector/index.cfm

EducationDirectorTM from Results Direct is a Web-based Learning Content Management System (LCMS) developed specifically for associations to deliver and administer asynchronous online education.

eTrainCenter
http://www.etraincenter.com/

eTrainCenter allows learning institutions or businesses to create their own online course content using our SiteBuilder tools. An administrator can edit this content at any time. You can also develop online quizzes or even certification exams for students completing a course.

FlexTraining
http://www.flextraining.com/

A Proven Framework for E-Learning Only one cost-effective E-Learning Software solution consistently achieves extraordinary results. FlexTraining delivers unlimited on-demand learning at a very limited price.

Gyrus
http://www.gyrus.com/

Gyrus provides Learning Management Systems. Since 1988, we've helped companies align learning & training initiatives to organizational goals & objectives.

IBM Learning Solutions
http://www-304.ibm.com/jct03001c/services/learning/ites.wss/zz/en?pageType=page&contentID=a0001106

IBM can design, implement and run innovative learning solutions.

Informetica
http://www.informetica.com/fend/article.asp?article_id=16

Informetica, a powerful learning management system deliver e-Learning to students worldwide.

IntraLearn
http://www.intralearn.com/

IntraLearn Software Corporation is the world’s leading provider of turnkey eLearning applications based on Microsoft technologies. More than 2,000 corporations, academic institutions and associations use IntraLearn to provide eLearning to millions of learners world wide. IntraLearn's advanced eLearning applications provide(s) configurable, feature rich, enterprise class solutions across various vertical markets. Since 1997, IntraLearn products have been making it easy and affordable to create, deliver and measure interactive learning over the Internet and intranets.

KnowledgeNet
http://www.knowledgenet.com/

Knowledge Planet
http://www.knowledgeplanet.com/

KnowledgePlanet is a full-service, on-demand learning provider. Our award-winning content tools, learning technologies, best practice methodologies, and progress and outcomes reporting help organizations improve performance through training-on-demand, fully supported, and matched to your organization’s needs.

learn.com
http://www.learn.com/

Today’s businesses are discovering that rapid online communication and training is the way to achieve and maintain a competitive advantage. Learn.com empowers clients by providing cutting-edge technology, superior service, and proven solutions.

LearnFlex
http://www.operitel.com/
LearnFlex.aspx LearnFlex™ is a fourth generation Learning Management System that supports organizations in the acquisition, creation, and transfer of information and knowledge - the essential ingredients for learning in a rapidly changing global economy. Organizations use LearnFlex™ to align their learning requirements with critical business objectives using customizable business rules, processes, and reports that are adaptable throughout the platform. LearnFlex™ allows for effortless personalization of the user interface, corporate branding, and target audience.

Element of elearning strategy

2007-10-17T06:53:00.000-07:00

Here is a wonderful resource that may help to elearning lovers. http://elearningtyro.wordpress.com/

In order for these ideas to stick in any development process, it must be charted down in a "elements of strategy" document for all to refer to and view. This document can be revised as other inputs come in, but having this document for all to view has several advantages.

A history of ideas is available
Ideas are not lost
Before new ideas come in, the old ones can be referred to
If some ideas cannot be developed in the current scope, they can provide starting points for new courses
There is a sense of flow and dialogue which is always a good thing to have in a design team

If you have process already, just give a glance at this, worth reading.

Go Beyond Information Sharing - 5 Ways Your E-learning Courses Can Create Understanding

2007-10-10T01:02:00.000-07:00

Tom explain this process here: 5 Ways Your E-learning Courses Can Create Understanding.

To create an elearning course that empowers the learner to make good decisions means that you have to create an environment where the learner gets important information and has time to reflect on its meaning and where it fits in the learner’s world.

What are some things that you do to create a course that goes beyond information-sharing?

Designing for Web 2.0

2007-05-05T08:32:00.000-07:00

LukeW, In his presentation says that how the ability of visual communication to express core customer and brand messages across multiple forms of media has not changed much. However, shifts from locomotion to services, from pages to rich interactions, from sites to content experiences, and from content creation by webmasters to everyone online have introduced unique opportunities and constraints that the presentation layer of Web applications needs to account for. Check out the slides (PDF) for lots more details.

BUSINESS PAPERS - TABLE OF CONTENTS

2007-04-23T07:32:00.000-07:00

Are you in search of a better way to live and make a living, and a better understanding of how the world really works.
Read Dave Pollard's business papers. It contains wonderful stuff on Knowledge Management,Personal Knowledge Management ,Personal Productivity Improvement (PPI) and Getting Things Done (GTD) Complexity & Discovery and more.

By any medium necessary: How interaction designers can save the world

2007-03-16T07:07:00.000-07:00

David Fore of Cooper Design tells us to how interaction design can serve organizational needs. He suggested a plan to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the team.

Get the right people on the job
Measure the right things to define success
Capture what's happening now, then articulate optimal processes
Create user personas and organizational archetypes
Stick to your guns
Separate design from construction

Opportunities are what we make of them, not what is offered us. Just as identifying the goals of users is the first step to the best product design, the best way to work with well-meaning but ill-informed executives is to help them see the difference between what they say they want and what they really need.

Improve the writing in your organisation

2007-03-04T03:31:00.000-08:00

Here's a simple guideline to write 100 word articles. Easy to use.
Phil Turner call is a Mirror Triangle.

Text-message English course

2007-02-14T06:55:00.000-08:00

Once again, language classes seem to be one of the best uses for mLearning solutions. Language training could be a good avenue for mLearning technology....... Click Here to know more.

Website Redesign Strategy

2007-02-12T19:42:00.000-08:00

A wounderful stuff from Maish Nichani. He has suggestd the framework for website redesign.

The framework embodies 4 actions:

Eliminate what is redundant, outdated or trivial and providing no value
Reduce what isn’t providing enough value
Raise what has the potential to add more value
Create what isn’t available yet but can bring more value

These 4 actions represent a reservoir of questions that can be asked about our content. But these questions need a direction. This is provided by the goals of the redesign. The stage is now set for using our background knowledge and research findings to provide answers to these questions. Here’s the setup.

As in any strategy building exercise, the magic is in asking the right questions. And the closer we are to the ground, the better the questions get.
Let’s move forward with a scenario.

Redesigning websites

2007-02-12T19:28:00.000-08:00

In 2006, many university has updated their websites which gives better user experience. When I come across all these website, I found that, sites are "simple and uncluttered" specially in home page.

A comprehensive article from Maish Nichani of PebbleRoad, lists key areas of focus on the subject of web standards, it may be of interest that the site you try to manage...

Here are some that are doing a good job with web standards.
Cornell University, Princeton University, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Dartmouth College, Bucknell University, University of Melbourne, University of Wisconsin, La Trobe University, Seattle University, University of Michigan, University of Sheffield, Ohio State University.

e-learning Theories

2007-02-12T06:31:00.000-08:00

What to know about e-learning theories?
Just click this link to explore 12 different theories of learning.

The 4A’s of learning design

2007-02-09T00:31:00.000-08:00

A whitepaper by Neil Lasher. The 4A’s of learning design namely is an instructional design model for task-based and workflow e-learning. Applying this model will ensure the design of a module of learning that fits into today’s current context, delivering the correct content to fit the current need in an environment often where the development falls to the technologist rather than the trainer.

Video on web 2.0

2007-02-09T00:28:00.000-08:00

Video: Simply the best way to know about web 2.0

The Holy Grail of Information Architecture

2007-02-06T00:07:00.000-08:00

Christopher Fahey's says that, the Holy Grail of Information Architecture is a versatile, powerful, and entirely mythical document format that almost every IA has fantasized about. Depending on who you talk to, embodies most or all of the following qualities:

It combines site mapping, process flow logic, and wireframming into a single entity
It allows atomic-level interface modules to be modified or replaced globally
It is accessible via a web browser
It can be printed
It simulates the user experience via click-throughs from page to page or feature to feature
It permits extensive feature annotation for programmers, bordering on functional specifications
It is fast and fluid for the document creator